Fish Kebabs

Ingredients

• 1 pound Fish fillets (Pomfret, Salmon, or similar firm white fish) (Originally '1 Sher'. Boneless and skinless.)
• 1 pound Ghee (Originally '1 Sher'. Used for deep frying; amount can be adjusted as needed for the frying vessel.)
• 1/2 pound Thick yogurt (curd) (Originally '0.5 Sher'. Must be strained/waterless and sour.)
• 10 ounces Onions (Originally '0.5 Sher and 1 Navtank'.)
• 1 1/4 ounces Roasted split gram (Daria) (Originally '3 Tolas'.)
• 1 1/4 ounces Fresh ginger (Originally '3 Tolas'.)
• 3/4 ounce Salt (Originally '2 Tolas'. Adjust to taste.)
• 3/4 ounce Poppy seeds (Khaskhas) (Originally '2 Tolas'.)
• 2 teaspoons Vegetable oil (Originally '2 small spoons sweet oil'.)
• 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds (ground) (Heaping spoonful.)
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon (ground) (Flat spoonful.)
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper (ground) (Flat spoonful.)
• 10 count Cardamom pods (Seeds removed and crushed.)
• 10 count Cloves (Crushed.)
• 1 count Egg white
• 2 tablespoons Gram flour (Besan) (Quantity estimated for cleaning/washing the fish.)
• 4 ounces Sugar (Optional: for making syrup glaze. Originally '0.25 Sher'.)

Instructions

1. 1Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and mince the ginger very finely. Grind the poppy seeds into a fine paste. Wash the roasted split gram (daria) and grind it into a fine powder. Crush the cardamom seeds and cloves.
2. 2Rub the fish meat with the oil, then wash it using the gram flour to clean it thoroughly. Mix 1/4 pound (approx 1/2 cup) of the yogurt with 1 flat teaspoon of salt. Coat the fish in this mixture and let it marinate for 2 hours.
3. 3After marinating, wash the fish again. Separate about 2 ounces (5 Tolas) of the raw fish and set it aside. Finely mince the remaining fish. In a pan, fry about 4 ounces (1/4 Sher) of the chopped onions in a little ghee until red. Add the minced fish, coriander powder, and the remaining salt. Stir frequently until the liquid evaporates and the mixture sizzles ('tatare'). Remove from heat and let it cool.
4. 4Once the cooked fish mixture is cold, mince it again to a keema-like consistency. Mix in the ground roasted gram (daria), poppy seed paste, and egg white. Take the reserved 2 ounces of raw fish, mince it finely, and add it to the mixture. Add the remaining ingredients: ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and cloves. Mix everything thoroughly.
5. 5Shape the mixture into kebabs. Heat plenty of ghee in a kadhai (wok) or deep frying pan. Fry the kebabs until they are red and crisp.
6. 6For a traditional variation: Make a light sugar syrup (one-thread consistency) using the sugar and a little water. Place the fried kebabs in the syrup over low heat. Allow the kebabs to absorb the syrup ('charas piye') and cook until the syrup dries up and coats the kebabs.